All posts by Ellie Rhymer

The Village of Arts and Humanities

The mission of The Village of Arts and Humanities is to support the voices and aspirations of the community through providing opportunities for self-expression rooted in art and culture. The Village inspires people to be agents of positive change through programs that encompass arts and culture, engage youth, revitalize community, preserve heritage and respect the environment.

From the Village of Arts and Humanities website:

“As an organization and as individuals:

We value integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self-criticism, continual self-improvement and unwavering mutual respect.

We regard all the North Philadelphia community as our neighbors, partners, friends and colleagues.

We are committed to improving the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the people and the community as a whole.

We value art as a vehicle to create place, build self-esteem, and engender mutual respect. Art encompasses both the visual and performing arts as well as creativity in thinking, methodology and implementation.

We are committed to preserving the social and cultural heritage of the African American community in which we reside, while simultaneously fostering a sense of multiculturalism that reflects the needs of today’s culturally diverse community.

We embrace what society disdains and throws away, creating a new sense of possibility and hope in the community.

We believe that the strongest leadership is found within the community. Therefore, our programming supports and grows youth and adult residents into community leaders.”

Volunteering

Volunteers are integral to The Village’s programs. The Village of Arts and Humanities would love to hear from creative and reliable individuals who would like to serve as mentors to our teens, host workshops, visit as guest speakers or help staff events at The Village. To find out how you can get involved, visit http://barefootartists.org/projects/village/.

Website: http://barefootartists.org/projects/village/

Phone: 215-225-7830

Location: 2544 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133

*This site is accessible via public transportation from the Bryn Mawr campus.

Please see transportation reimbursement policy.

General, Museum Studies, Philadelphia, Visual Arts

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Ellie Rhymer

Overlooking one of the nation’s most culturally vibrant cities, the Philadelphia Museum of Art welcomes nearly a million visitors each year, encouraging them to embark upon a walk through time that extends across two millennia and six continents. As one of the largest museums in the United States, the Philadelphia Museum of Art invites visitors from around the world to explore its renowned collections, acclaimed special exhibitions, and enriching programs, both in person and online.

The Museum has a strong tradition of support from volunteers of all ages. Currently, there are approximately 500 volunteers from all over the community working in nearly every department at the Museum, providing services to visitors and assisting the professional staff behind the scenes. It is an ideal way to make new friends while getting to know the inner workings of one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.

Volunteer opportunities include:

Museum Guide Program
Serve as a vital source of information on the Museum’s rich collections.

Park and House Guide Program
Increase awareness of the historical treasures of the Park Houses while educating guests about early Pennsylvania history.

Departmental Volunteer Program
Assist administrative and curatorial departments with assignments that range from research and cataloging to clerical work.

Website: http://www.philamuseum.org/
For more information about volunteering, click here
To learn about the Museum Studies Internship Program, click here

Phone: 215-684-7920

Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

*This site is accessible via public transportation from the Bryn Mawr campus.

Please see transportation reimbursement policy.

Philadelphia, Visual Arts

Mural Arts Program

Ellie Rhymer 1 Comment

Diego Rivera E3 West and E3 North Broad Photo by Steve Weinik — Diego Rivera
E3 West and E3 North Broad
Photo by Steve Weinik

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest public art program in the United States. The Mural Arts Program unites artists and communities through a collaborative process, rooted in the traditions of mural-making, to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives.

Mural Arts’ award-winning art education programs annually serve 1,500 youth at neighborhood sites throughout the city. Mural Arts’ programs are offered free and are targeted to at-risk youth. Educational programs use an intensive curriculum that involves mural-making as a dynamic means to engage youth and to teach transferable life and job skills such as taking personal responsibility, teamwork, and creative problem-solving. The Mural Arts Program has also become a national leader in arts in criminal and restorative justice, currently offering educational programs in local prisons and rehabilitation centers using the restorative power of art to break the cycle of crime and violence in communities.

All the Way Live from the 215 2nd and Norris Streets Photo by Steve Weinik — All the Way Live from the 215
2nd and Norris Streets
Photo by Steve Weinik

Interested volunteers can check out opportunities at: https://www.muralarts.org/join-us/volunteer/

To find out more about the Summer Internship Program, click here.

Website: http://muralarts.org/

Email: info@muralarts.org

Phone: 215.685.0750

Address: Lincoln Financial Mural Arts Center,
Thomas Eakins House
1727-29 Mt. Vernon Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

*This volunteer opportunity is also available as a Community-Based Work Study program through Bryn Mawr.

General, Philadelphia

PhillySpells

Ellie Rhymer

The Write Club students reading National Geographic Kids’ Weird But True book together.

PhillySpells runs the Spells Writing Lab, a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that develops the creative and expository writing abilities of school-age children through free, fun, and imaginative writing programs and teacher development opportunities. From the PhillySpells website:

“At Spells, we believe that literacy is a cornerstone for future success, and that personalized attention and unconventional learning opportunities can inspire students to greater triumphs, both in the classroom and in life. To further these ends, we offer the following programs:

after-school drop-in tutoring
weekend writing workshops
in-school assistance with student publications
partnerships with non-profits
professional development opportunities for teachers

All of our programs are free, and many incorporate other artistic disciplines such as music, film, or the visual arts to inspire young writers.”

The cast and crew of Monster Madness, one of three silent films made during the summer writing camp.

—-Volunteer Opportunities—-

Whether you’re interested in becoming a tutor, a workshop leader, a lab assistant, or another kind of helper, the process begins when you submit our online volunteer application. On the form, be sure to indicate which volunteer orientation you’d like to attend. Your application will be reviewed and you will be contacted to confirm your orientation session.

Once you’re a trained Spells volunteer, you’ll recieve occasional emails letting you know what’s been going on at the lab, giving you additional training support, and listing upcoming volunteer opportunities.

To sign up to volunteer, visit phillyspells.org/volunteer/form
For more information, email volunteer@phillyspells.org

—-Other Volunteer Opportunities—

PUBLICATION HELPERS

Are you a graphic designer, artist, copyeditor, or publishing professional? Volunteer to help out with PhillySpells publications!

Spells Writing Lab offers in-school assistance for newspapers and literary magazines, which includes copyediting and layout. They also produce end-of-semester writing collections with tutoring students and occasionally need illustration or design expertise for writing workshops. (There are also opportunities for designers who would like to create promotional materials such as bookmarks, posters, and brochures.)

Whether you’ve been in the business for years, or are still in art school, you can use your art to make a difference. Sign up to be a Spells volunteer today!

EVENT PLANNERS & GRANT WRITERS

Do you absolutely love event planning? Are you interested in helping out during a fundraiser? Want to earn money for PhillySpells programs with your grant writing prowess? Spells could definitely use your help! Simply indicate your interest on our volunteer application or email fundraising@phillyspells.org.

Visiting the Insectarium for monster writing inspiration

—-Internship Opportunities—

Check out internship opportunities at PhillySpells, too!

For college students who would like to turn their volunteering into an educational experience and can commit at least 5–10 hours per week to our organization, we offer the Spells Writing Lab Internship.

As a Spells Writing Lab Program Intern, you will work one-on-one with young authors, guiding them through the writing process and helping them realize their full creative potential. Additional responsibilities include providing homework support to students in our after-school program, developing and presenting writing workshops or other educational programming, and assisting with volunteer management, community outreach, fundraising, or other areas of running a non-profit.

Design Interns will work closely with our programming director to help students with digital media projects such as animations, short films, and visual novels; manage the creation of chapbooks and other final projects during our writing workshops; capture and edit photos and video from our programs; and work with our staff to produce flyers, newsletters, event materials, and promotional materials as needed.

Website: http://phillyspells.org/For more info about volunteering or internships, see http://phillyspells.org/volunteer/general/

Email: volunteer@phillyspells.org

Phone: 267-670-0869

Location: 2526 N. Alder Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133